Win32 API vs STL

This is a discussion on Win32 API vs STL within the C++ Programming forums, part of the General Programming Boards category; I am looking to start getting into programming with simple GUI, I have been doing C++ for a while and ...

Win32 API vs STL

I am looking to start getting into programming with simple GUI, I have been doing C++ for a while and want to step up to this. I have some friends saying learning STL will let me do what I want (simple button with counter) but others told me Win32 because it is more useful in the end.

They are two dfferent things. If you want to do a simple GUI (button, counter), the STL will not do that, the Win32 API will. You can combine the use of STL with the Windows API, but if you want the GUI stuff now, learning STL won't help you with that, it will only help you be a better programmer.

I presume since you have been doing C++ for a while and you're also looking at the STL (nit: it's actually the standard library, the STL was a library that was integrated into the standard) you want to become a C++ programmer.

If this is the case, avoid the win32 API. It is a C API and will not help you to be a better C++ programmer. If you want to do GUI work I'd recommend wxWidgets (oo, cross-platform but looks native), .net windows forms or at least MFC (yes I know it's a win32 wrapper)